1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally directed to secured storage areas and particularly to storage areas for securing firearms which are concealed to prevent access by children and other individuals. The invention is more specifically directed to a combination article of furniture such as a couch, sofa or lovest and a secured storage compartment which is housed in the seat of the article of furniture which is lockable and which is covered by a finished panel so as to be obscured from view.
2. History of the Related Art
In almost every residence there are articles of importance or value or articles which must be secured to provide safety and which articles require safe and secure storage. Unfortunately, most residences are not provided with adequate secured storage areas. Some residences are provided with built in storage areas such as lockable closets or safes. However, such built in storage areas are obvious or easy to recognize and can, therefore, be easily accessed by illegal entry.
In addition to valuables such as stocks, bonds, jewelry and the like which are often kept in a residence, many individuals keep firearms. Convention gun cabinets utilized to store firearms, such as pistols and rifles, frequently are provided with locking devices, however, the cabinets are fully viewable and accessible to anyone entering the residence. By circumventing a locking device, access can be obtained to the firearms. Therefore, there is a need to provide secured storage areas which are not readily apparent or obvious to someone entering a residence or business.
It has long been known to modify various articles of furniture so as to provide additional storage space. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,703,600 to Harper discloses an article of furniture having a storage space. The furniture disclosed is a couch or sofa having a storage area mounted in the bottom or seat. The storage area is accessible by sliding panels which are mounted along the front portion of the couch. Although such an article of furniture provides for additional storage, the dual capacity of the article of furniture for use as a seat as well as a storage area is outwardly obvious. Therefore, the furniture cannot function to provide a concealed storage space or compartment.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,703,667 to DeMello a combination seat and utility box is disclosed wherein access to the box mounted within the base of the seat is obtained by simply raising the seat pad or cushion. Although this structure provides a less obvious appearance for a storage area, access to the storage area is easily obtained and can be accidentally discovered by individuals, especially children who may be playing on or around the furniture. A similar seating system for use with boats is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,404 to Menne. Again, with such a structure, the concealed storage area is not secured and therefore articles stored within such areas are not fully protected from theft or accidental access by individuals who should not obtain possession of articles being stored, such as a childs access to firearms.